The case revolved around whether texts between a top official and a drug company executive counted as a public record that might need to be disclosed.

A top European court says the European Commission was wrong to refuse the New York Times access to text messages sent between President Ursula von der Leyen and a pharmaceutical boss during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lawyers for the EU argued the private messages did not constitute part of the vaccine negotiation.

May 14 (UPI) -- The European Court of Justice Wednesday ruled there was no plausible reason to block The New York Times from getting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's texts with a Pfizer executive.

Daniel Calleja Crespo will take on a new role in Madrid after four decades in Brussels.

As the president of the European Commission discovers whether it was right to withhold her text messages, the court case raises broader questions about EU transparency.

General Court judgment could have huge repercussions for Commission president. It’s a “slam dunk” for transparency, says MEP.

The EU court ruling doesn’t just say the Commission got it wrong — it says it knew better.